(a) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a vehicle that is used to transport individuals while on their wheel chairs. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an all terrain vehicle that provides access to its users from one end of the vehicle, and allows dismounting of the individual through another end.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
The problems associated with providing access to and from areas of public accommodation for people who rely on a wheelchair for mobility has gained a great deal of attention in recent years. This problem has become particularly perplexing or difficult to solve in areas of public accommodation such as ski resorts and the like, where visitors will encounter a wide variety of irregular terrain. Solutions for providing access to these places of public accommodation have included forming large ramps, roadways, or installing elevators, or other devices that pick up and carry the wheel chair and user from one level to the next.
An example of a known mechanism for carrying an individual from one level to the next is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,330 to Blokland. The Blokland device is a stair climbing apparatus that uses a pair of endless tracks that support a platform that is pivotally connected to the endless tracks to allow changing of the angle of the platform relative to the endless track. Additionally, the Blokland device includes a lower level platform that allows access to the device from the lower, or ground, level, and an upper level platform that allows the user to exit the device at the top of the stairs. The lower level platform is longer than the upper level platform. The difference in length of the lower level platform versus the upper level platform is probably dictated by the fact that if the device stops near the upper landing, the distance from the platform to the landing is smaller than the distance from the platform to the ground when the device is stopped at ground level (following a trajectory that would provide a gradient suitable for easy access to the platform). This geometry and structure makes the Blokland device particularly well suited for addressing the problems associated carrying an individual up a set of stairs, but gives little guidance to the ordinary artisan on how to solve problems associated with other types of terrain. For example, if the individual needs to travel over snow covered terrain or across a ditch or other obstacle.
Another significant limitation encountered with the Blokland device is that it is not steerable by the user, and thus does not provide the user with the ability to use the device for purposes other than climbing stairs. Still further, the structure of the lower level platform of Blokland device would not permit the user to see in the direction of travel if moving in the direction of the lower level platform.
Known devices which allow the user to steer and control the direction of movement of a device that carries an individual while seated in a wheel chair include U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,193 to Oka; U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,180 to Livingston; U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,508 to Hayata; U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,057 to McCallum; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,740 to Forster. Known devices that describe transportation devices with a pair of endless tracks include U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,483 to Randolph and U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,023 to Gleason.
A review of these known devices reveals that there remains a need for a transportation device that allows individuals on a wheelchair to climb into and exit the device without having to leave the wheelchair and without having to move the wheelchair in a backwards direction to exit the device. Still further, there remains a need for a transportation device that allows an individual on a wheelchair to negotiate a variety of terrain features, includeing snowy terrain, rocky terrain, deep sand or simply wet or irregular terrain without being constrained as to the direction of access to and from the vehicle in order to be able to steer the vehicle to and from the area being accessed.
Thus, a review of known devices reveals that there remains a need for a transportation device that is simple, robust, and allows easy access to a driving position on the device while using a wheel chair.
There remains a need for a transportation device that allows an individual on a wheel chair to sit, operate and steer the vehicle while sitting facing one direction or while sitting facing an opposite direction.
It has been discovered that the problems left unanswered by known art can be solved by providing a vehicle for transporting an individual on a wheel chair over land, the vehicle being operable and steerable by the individual the vehicle including:
a) a support platform having a first end, a second end, a mid-section and generally parallel sides, the generally parallel sides being raised over the support platform to define a pathway over the support platform, the pathway extending from the first end to the second end of the support platform; and
b) a steering device attached to at least one of the generally parallel sides at a position over the mid-section of said support platform, so that the vehicle is steerable by the individual on a wheel chair while facing either the first end of said support platform or the second end of said support platform. According to a highly preferred embodiment of the invention, the vehicle includes a pair of access platforms that are attached to the ends of the support platform. These access platforms will provide a gently sloping gradient for access to the support platform. In this highly preferred embodiment of the invention the platforms are hingeldy connected to the vehicle to allow the platforms to pivot from a first position where the platforms cooperate with the sides of the vehicle to enclose the area where the user will sit, to a second position, where the access platforms tilt down to provide an access ramp to the support platform. It is also contemplated that the access platforms may be removable or include a mechanism that raises and lowers the access platforms in a parallel manner relative to the support platform.
According to this highly preferred embodiment, the vehicle will be electrically propelled along a pair of generally parallel propulsion devices, such as at least two wheels, or a pair of endless tracks. In a highly preferred embodiment of the invention a pair of endless tracks that are generally parallel to the sides of the support platform are used to propel and steer the vehicle.
Additionally, it is important to note that by positioning the steering mechanism or systems on one of the sides of the support platform, at a location that is approximately equidistant form the access platform allows the vehicle to be steerable by an individual while facing either access platform. Thus, according to one embodiment of the invention, the steering mechanism includes a joy stick or similar transdoucing device with a wireless remote control type signal used to send the control signal from the joy stick to the drive mechanism of the vehicle.
Additionally, it will be understood that the disclosed invention provides a transportation system that can be used over a wide variety of terrains, including snow, sand, irregular surfaces and so on, to allow individuals on a wheel chair to go over or avoid terrain that would be otherwise extremely difficult to negotiate while on a wheel chair.
It should also be understood that while the above and other advantages and results of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, showing the contemplated novel construction, combinations and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it should be clearly understood that changes in the precise embodiments of the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art.